Ours Is a Victory in Jesus: Part One

Hebrews 2: 17, 18

Our sin has opened an enormous gap between us and God. Sin violates His holiness and merits His wrath. How then can we come close to God?

To accomplish this of Jesus it is said, “He had to be made like His brethren.” He had to become our Comrade.

Suppose a large company bought a small company that was in deep financial difficulty. As soon as the large company takes over, it becomes responsible for the debts of the business it has purchased. Once the past debts are paid off then the future responsibility for the small company is that of the large company.

Our text uses another term that illustrates the same principle. We are called His “children.” We are by adoption. When a child is adopted, the new parent assumes responsibility for that child. 

Adoption goes a step further. It establishes a kinship relationship between two individuals equivalent to natural descent. 

Adoption is different from fostering. Fostering is temporary. Adoption is permanent. In fostering you get support. In adoption you get support and status.

Hebrews 2: 11 states, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” That same verse emphasizes our oneness with Christ. It makes reference to being sanctified. This means to be set aside as holy for His use. This verse means all Christians are holy. You may think you aren’t and you may not act it, but you are. The word sanctified translates the Greek word “hagios” which means “to make holy.”

This is not talking about your practice, but your position. The Bible speaks of positional and practical truth. Positionally, you are in Christ — holy. The more closely your position and your practice parallel each other, the more content, fulfilled, and happy you are. 

Positionally you are perfect. “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Heb. 10: 14)

Positionally someday you will stand before God. If you have trusted Christ as Savior, you will stand there as pure as He. The reason is that you have had the righteousness of Christ credited to your account.

He is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Should we not be proud to call Him our Brother? We do well to pray, 

“Dear God, help me never to be ashamed of Jesus.”

We can, with the writer of Hebrews, recite from Psalm 22, “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You.” (Heb. 2: 12) 

We can say with Samuel, “I will put my trust in Him.” (Heb. 2: 13)

Jesus bought us with a price (I Cor. 6:20). As a result He paid all of our spiritual debts. Now He has made all of our problems His problems. He has given all of His resources to be our resources.  He is our Comrade.

If you believe that, let your actions indicate that you do.